Swing for handicapped persons

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to playground apparatus, and in particular to a swing apparatus which may be used by a person confined to a wheelchair. The preferred embodiment of the swing apparatus includes a main body which is adapted to accommodate a wheelchair. The body is formed from molded plastic and is suspended from a frame structure for reciprocating motion by means of two pairs of substantially parallel arms. The body includes vertically extending internal frame members within the side walls of the body and transversely extending frame members underneath the body connecting opposing vertical frame members located on each side of the swing body. The body of the swing further includes a seat assembly which can be moved between a collapsed position and a raised position. The seat assembly comprises a pair of members which are adapted to clip together so as to provide a secure engagement when the seat is in its erected position. If the swing is to be used by a person in a wheelchair, the seat assembly is collapsed so as to allow the wheelchair to be accommodated within the body.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to playground apparatus, and in particularto a swing apparatus which may be used by a person confined to awheelchair.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In recent years, there has been an increasing awareness of the needs ofphysically and/or mentally handicapped persons. For example, whereas inthe past there has been segregation of able-bodied and disabled childrenin schools, recently there has been a move towards integratinghandicapped persons into the general community. Schools designated“special” have been established to permit both disabled and able-bodiedchildren to coexist in an environment that is beneficial to both groups.Disabled children experience an environment that is similar to thatwhich they will experience outside of school. Able-bodied children aregiven a chance to mingle with the physically disabled and becomefamiliar with and understand various disabilities and the associatedproblems with which the disabled must contend.

Whilst there are many playgrounds available for use by able-bodiedpeople, little consideration appears to have been given to the provisionof playground facilities for persons confined to a wheelchair. Mostplayground equipment is made for able-bodied people and, in spite of thedesire of disabled people to participate in playground activities, theyare generally not able to do so due to a lack of suitable recreationalequipment.

The present invention is directed to providing swing apparatus which maybe used by a person confined to a wheelchair and the object of thepresent invention is to overcome or ameliorate at least one of thedisadvantages of the prior art, or to at least provide a usefulalternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A first aspect of the present invention provides a swing apparatus forpersons confined to a wheelchair, said swing including:

a body adapted to accommodate a wheelchair, said body including aplatform adapted to carry said wheelchair, and one or more wallsextending upwardly from said platform.

A second aspect of the present invention provides a swing apparatus forpersons confined to a wheelchair, said swing including:

a body adapted to accommodate a wheelchair, said body including a seatpositionable between a first position to provide seating for a user, anda second position which allows for accommodating a wheelchair.

A third aspect of the present invention provides a swing apparatus forpersons confined to a wheelchair, said swing including:

a body adapted to accommodate a wheelchair;

a ramp so as to permit access to the body by a person confined to awheelchair, one end of said ramp adapted to be attached to the ground,and a second end of the ramp adapted to be releasably attachable to saidbody so as to enable wheelchair access to said body.

A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a swing apparatus forpersons confined to a wheelchair, said swing including:

a body adapted to accommodate a wheelchair;

said body including a retaining means for securing said wheelchair inposition with respect to said body, said retaining means being mountedon a movable mounting so as to facilitate positioning of said mountingwith respect to said wheelchair.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way ofexample only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the swingaccording to the present invention, with the access ramp beingdisconnected and the internal seat in a collapsed position;

FIG. 2 depicts a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the swingaccording to the present invention, with the access ramp being connectedand the internal seat in an erected position;

FIG. 3 depicts a rear end elevation of the swing assembly according tothe preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 depicts a perspective view of the main body of the swing, withthe internal seat shown in a collapsed position;

FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of the main body of the swing, withthe internal seat shown in an erected position to provide seating forthe occupier;

FIG. 6 depicts a side elevation of the main body of the swing;

FIG. 7 depicts a plan view of the main body of the swing, with theinternal seat shown in a collapsed position;

FIG. 8 depicts a front elevation of the main body of the swing, with theinternal seat shown in a collapsed position;

FIG. 9 depicts a rear elevation of the main body of the swing;

FIG. 10 depicts an inverted plan view of the main body of the swing; and

FIG. 11 depicts a rear elevation of a further embodiment of the mainbody of the swing incorporating a closable storage compartment.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 depicts a preferred embodiment of the swing apparatus 1 accordingto the present invention. The apparatus includes a frame structure 2which is suitably secured to the ground 3. In the arrangement depicted,the frame structure is secured to the ground by means of concretefootings 4 into which the lower ends 5 of the frame structure are set.However it is to be appreciated that other means of securing the framestructure to ground may be employed.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, the swingapparatus 1 includes a body 10 which is adapted to accommodate awheelchair. The swing body 10 is suspended from the frame structure forreciprocating motion by means of two pairs of substantially parallelarms 11 a, 11 b which are pivotably mounted at their respective upperends 12 a, 12 b to mounting points 13 a, 13 b on the upper section ofthe frame structure. The lower ends 14 a, 14 b of the arms are pivotallyconnected to mounting points 15 a, 15 b on the swing body.

FIGS. 4 to 10 depict various views of the preferred embodiment of themain body of the swing apparatus. The body 10 is adapted to accommodatea wheelchair and includes a platform 17 upon which the wheelchair iscarried when in use. Extending upwardly from the platform 17 are sideand rear walls 18, 19 respectively. Preferably the main body of theswing is formed from moulded plastic so as to provide suitable strengthwhilst also minimising weight. In the preferred embodiment the body 10is of unitary construction, with the platform, side and rear walls beingintegrally formed by means of moulding. Ribbing 21 may be provided inone or more walls of the body so as to enhance the rigidity of the body.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the body includes verticallyextending internal frame members 30 within the side walls of the body.In the preferred embodiment the internal frame members 30 take the formof steel rods. The upper ends of the members 30 are connected to themounting points on the swing body 10. Transversely extending framemembers 31 pass underneath the body and connect opposing vertical framebracing members located on each side of the swing body. Preferably thetransverse members 31 take the form of steel plates or sections. In thisway, the load of the swing is carried by the internal structure of theswing body rather than the swing body itself.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, the body ofthe swing includes a seat assembly 40 which can be moved between acollapsed position as shown in FIG. 1, and a raised position as shown inFIG. 2. Preferably, the seat assembly 40 includes a pair of members 41,42, a first member 41 being pivotably mounted to the platform of thebody and a second member 42 being pivotably mounted to the rear wall.Preferably, the members are adapted to clip together so as to provide asecure engagement of the two members when the seat is in its erectedposition. If the swing is to be used by a person in a wheelchair, theseat is collapsed as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4 so as to allow thewheelchair to be accommodated within the body. The rear wall of the mainbody also preferably includes a generally upright surface 45 whichprovides a backrest for the user. Preferably, the surface 45 isintegrally formed in the rear wall 19 of the main body and is formed soas to provide support to a user when seated on the seat assembly 40.

The rear wall may also be provided with anchor points 46 for theinstallation of a seat belt so as to provide additional safety for auser whilst the swing is in motion.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a third aspect of the present inventionis a ramp assembly 50 for facilitating the movement of a wheelchair onand off the swing. Preferably, the ramp comprises a first ramp member 51which is secured to the ground. The first ramp member is pivotablyconnected to a second ramp member 52 which is adapted to releasablyengage with the body 10 of the swing. As illustrated in FIG. 2, in orderto connect the ramp to the body of the swing, the body of the swing ismoved forward to a position whereby the end of the ramp member canengage with a transversely extending connecting rod 53 located along theleading edge 54 of the swing body. It has been found that a ramp anglein the range of 6 to 12° to the horizontal facilitates relatively easywheelchair access up and down the ramp. As shown in FIG. 2, the rampassembly 50 is preferably provided with a locking means 55 so as to lockthe ramp 52 onto the body of the swing. It is envisaged that wheninstalled in a park the ramp 52 would be locked onto the body of swingwhen the swing is not in use so as to provide ready wheelchair access tothe swing body. Once the wheelchair is in position, the lock would bereleased so as to enable the ramp 52 to be detached from the body of theswing and lowered to position adjacent the ground as shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the ramp assembly 50 is provided with abiasing means which is configured so as to provide a biasing force whichacts to reduce the weight load of the ramp thereby enabling a person tolift the ramp 52 into engagement with the body of the swing more easily.More particularly, the biasing means is configured to provide a momentas indicated by the arrow 56 around the pivot point 57 of the secondramp member 52 which opposes the weight load of the ramp. In onepreferred embodiment, a torsion spring is provided at the pivot point 57to provide the moment.

In accordance with a fourth aspect of the invention, and as shown inFIG. 9, the body of the swing is preferably provided with mountingpoints 60 on its rear wall so as to provide for a means of retaining awheelchair securely in position within the body of the swing whilst theswing is in motion. In a preferred form, the retaining means takes theform of a chain, strap, or the like which is connected to a mountingpoint 60 on the rear wall of the body of the swing. In use, a free endof the retaining chain or strap is passed through a wheel of thewheelchair and then connected to the rear wall and tightenedsufficiently to securely retain the wheelchair in position. In thepreferred embodiment, a retaining chain, strap or the like is providedon each side of the body of the swing so as to engage with and retaineach of the two rear wheels of a wheelchair. Preferably, the retainingchain is connected to the mounting 60 which is slidably mounted on amember 61 so as to permit relative lateral movement of the mountingpoint as shown by the arrows 62. In this way, the mounting point of thechain or strap can be positioned directly behind the wheel of thewheelchair so as to ensure that the wheelchair is securely retained inposition. In use, when the wheelchair is positioned within the body ofthe swing, the mountings for the retaining chains are positioneddirectly behind the respective rear wheels of the wheelchair. One end ofthe retaining chain is connected to the mounting, whilst the free end ofthe chain is passed through the wheel of the wheelchair and thenconnected to a hook, clip or the like on the mounting. The hook or clipis located on a threaded member, the axial position of which can beadjusted by turning the member in the desired direction. In this way, itis possible to tighten the retaining chain.

In a further embodiment of the present invention the main body 10 of theswing apparatus is provided with a closable storage compartment 65,preferably located in the rear wall of the swing body. The storagecompartment 65 is provided with a door or cover 66 so as to close thecompartment. It is further preferable that the door or cover be providedwith a lock so that access to the compartment can only be obtained if amatching key is used. The storage compartment may be used to store aseat belt which may be used to provide restraint for the user whilst theswing is in motion as previously described.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specificexamples it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that theinvention may be embodied in many other forms.

What is claimed is:
 1. A swing apparatus for persons confined to awheelchair, said swing including: a body adapted to accommodate awheelchair, said body including a seat assembly comprising a pair ofseat members moveable between a first position whereby the seat membersare engaged with each other to form a seat for a user, and a secondposition whereby the seat assembly is collapsed to accommodate awheelchair, and wherein said body includes a retaining means forsecuring said wheelchair in position with respect to said body, saidretaining means being mounted on a movable mounting so as to facilitatepositioning of said mounting with respect to said wheelchair.
 2. A swingapparatus for persons confined to a wheelchair as claimed in claim 1,said swing further including a ramp so as to permit access to the bodyby a person confined to a wheelchair, one end of said ramp adapted to beattached to the ground, and a second end of the ramp adapted to bereleasably attachable to said body so as to enable wheelchair access tosaid body.
 3. A swing apparatus for persons confined to a wheelchair asclaimed in claim 2, wherein the ramp comprises a first ramp member whichis secured to the ground, said first ramp member being pivotablyconnected to a second ramp member which is adapted to releasably engagewith the body of the swing.
 4. A swing apparatus for persons confined toa wheelchair as claimed in claim 3 wherein the ramp assembly ispreferably provided with a locking means so as to lock the ramp onto thebody of the swing.
 5. A swing apparatus for persons confined to awheelchair as claimed in claim 4 wherein the ramp assembly is providedwith a biasing means which is configured so as to provide a biasingforce which acts to reduce the weight load of the ramp thereby enablinga person to lift the ramp into engagement with the body of the swingmore easily.
 6. A swing apparatus for persons confined to a wheelchairas claimed in claim 1, wherein the swing body is suspended from a framestructure for reciprocating motion by means of two pairs ofsubstantially parallel arms which are pivotably mounted at first ends tomounting points on the frame structure aid opposing ends of the arms arepivotally connected to mounting points on the swing body.
 7. A swingapparatus for persons confined to a wheelchair as claimed in claim 1,wherein the seat assembly includes a pair of seat members, a first seatmember being pivotably mounted to a platform of the body and a secondseat member being pivotably mounted to a rear wall of the body.
 8. Aswing apparatus for persons confined to a wheelchair as claimed in claim7, wherein the seat members are adapted to clip together so as toprovide a secure engagement of the two members when the Beat is in itserected position.
 9. A swing apparatus for persons confined to awheelchair as claimed in claim 7, wherein said rear wall includes agenerally upright surface which provides a back rest for the user.
 10. Aswing apparatus for persons confined to a wheelchair as claimed in claim9, wherein said rear wall is provided with anchor points for theinstallation of a seat belt so as to provide for restraining the userwhilst the swing is in motion.
 11. A swing apparatus for personsconfined to a wheelchair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body is ofunitary construction.
 12. A swing apparatus for persons confined to awheelchair as claimed in claim 11, wherein the body of the swing isformed from molded plastic.
 13. A swing apparatus for persons confinedto a wheelchair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body includesvertically extending frame members.
 14. A swing apparatus for personsconfined to a wheelchair as claimed in claim 13, wherein said framemembers take the form of steel rods.
 15. A swing apparatus for personsconfined to a wheelchair as claimed in claim 13, wherein said framemembers are connected to the mounting points on the swing body.
 16. Aswing apparatus for persons confined to a wheelchair as claimed in claim13, further including transversely extending frame members which passunderneath the body and connect vertically extending frame memberslocated on each side of the swing body.